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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Here are tips to manage it.

Unfortunately, daily anxiety is a part of life. Although it may be useful in pushing us to action and doing something faster than usual, it can become a severe responsibility when we have too much. This term is used when we are chronically nervous, shy or worried about things. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is also identified as such when we demonstrate these character traits for a long period of time. Usually, this can be six months or more.

The first steps that we need to consider are simple and include: reducing stressful triggers and taking time to rationally sort things out. When we move with the constant fast pace that we usually do today in the world, often we forget that we need a little time and step back to evaluate things.

Identify the areas that cause the most stress, and think about it for a while

Next you should consciously add more stress alleviating practices into your daily routine. Try a few more things, such as exercise and concentrated relaxation. Training is an effective method of reducing overall stress and can help create a better sense of well-being. Usually, fifteen or twenty minutes three times a week in some form of exercise should be sufficient.

As for concentrated relaxation, think about studying yoga or meditation. Alternatively, you can just practice sitting for about 15 minutes a day without moving. With practice, you can reach a point where you can almost instantly relax and, as a result, cope with it a little better.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a state of health that affects many people. Like every disease, it has specific symptoms. Continue reading to find out if you are experiencing some of the symptoms of a general anxiety disorder so you can be treated as early as possible.

1. A person suffering from a Generalized Anxiety Disorder is continuously worried, develops compulsive ideas and experiences excellent stress and a sense of insecurity. The sufferer can feel that he or she is the only one in this world facing such problems and that he does not have the opportunity to avoid this situation.

2. Physical symptoms may include: shallow breathing, muscle tension, and pain, constant fatigue and tremors. In addition to these symptoms, the sufferers also have trouble sleeping, such as insomnia or frequent nightmares, have an increased level of irritability and can even blame memory loss, difficulty concentrating or periods of confusion.

3. Generalized Anxiety Disorder can adversely affect social life. Before realizing this, the patient will begin to avoid communication and interactions, because of the constant anxiety that he is experiencing. The overwhelming feeling that something bad will happen will stop the sufferer from performing his or her usual activities, including meeting people. Over time, he will become a shy and withdrawn person.

4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder can be disturbed by the responsibilities of fulfilling his or her job requirements. Sometimes work can become extremely stressful for someone who has suffered from this disorder, even if it is just a normal job. If the job is very responsible and involves a high level of stress, this can even be the cause of a generalized anxiety disorder. This disorder can lead to other mental conditions, such as various phobias or depression.

5. Someone suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder may be noticeably tense and irritable.

6. Some sufferers may also experience more severe physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, dyspnoea, syncope, prick or abdominal pain and vomiting.

To get rid of the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, you must first find and suppress its cause. As soon as you find out the reason, different types of treatment are available: therapy, medication or natural remedies.

What Causes Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

The exact cause of GAD is not fully known, but numerous factors may play a role in the development of GAD. Some of these factors are genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental factors.

1. Genetics: some studies have shown that family history can play a role in the development of GAD. These trends can be passed on from generation to generation. Although you may have a family history of GAD, it does not necessarily mean that you automatically have symptoms, the actual launch of GAD may require life experiences or environmental factors.

2. Brain chemistry: neurotransmitters in the brain – are chemical messages that send information from the nerve cell to the nerve cell. If these neurotransmitters are out of balance, then the brain reaction can be changed in a particular situation, which causes anxiety.

3. Environmental factors: many environmental factors can cause anxiety because almost everything you’re afraid of or causes you stress can essentially trigger GAD. However, some of the most common environmental factors are stressful events, such as trauma, such as abuse, divorce or death of a loved one. Another common factor is a severe change in life, for example, changing jobs or changing schools.

As you can see, it is difficult to determine what causes Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It can also be a combination of things that lead the GAD.

Most Effective Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatments

People are suffering from generalized anxiety disorder experience feelings of tension, dread, worry, and nervousness without any apparent cause. The condition can sometimes lead to symptoms such as irritability, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances, among others. Unless promptly treated, the condition can greatly impair personal, social and professional functioning.

One of the most common types of Generalized Anxiety Disorder treatments is administering natural remedies and medications. The medications are typically administered either to provide immediate relief or for a more permanent cure over the long term. The main categories of medications are the following:

1. Natural Remedies: Hemp Oil

Recently, Hemp Oil has grown in interest for consumers, clinicians, and scientists. The evidence suggests that Hemp Oil can counteract many of the undesirable effects of THC and has been studied in multiple animal and human trials. In experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies, Hemp Oil has been found to have anti-anxiety properties. When it is given in an acute situation as needed, this compound appears to be safe and may be beneficial in treating a range of anxiety-related disorders.

Just like SSRIs, Hemp Oil may work in a similar way by boost signaling through serotonin receptors. In an animal study, Spanish researchers found the providing Hemp Oil enhanced 5-HT1A transmission and may actually affect serotonin levels faster than SSRIs.

The increased speed of Hemp Oil and it’s anti-anxiety effect could be beneficial at solving the current limitations of antidepressant medications available now.

2. Antidepressants

Under normal circumstances, antidepressants are used for treating depression. However, they can also be effective as Generalized Anxiety Disorder treatments. The main types of antidepressants used for treating generalized anxiety disorders are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors(SSRIs), Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors(SNRIs) and Tricyclics.

SSRIs inhibit the activities of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Excessive amounts of serotonin in the brain triggers anxiety related symptoms such as nervousness, muscle tension, and irritability. By limiting the activity of serotonin, SSRIs prevent the onset of anxiety disorder attacks. Examples of SSRIs commonly used include Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft) and Paroxetine (Paxil).

SNRIs mitigate the activities of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Excessive levels of norepinephrine in the body can cause also lead to anxiety attacks. Therefore, SNRIs work by preventing the excessive release of these two brain chemicals. Common examples of SNRIs include Duloxetine (Cymbalta) and Venlafaxine (Effexor).

Tricyclic antidepressants (commonly referred to as TCAs) are one of the oldest types of antidepressants to be used in Generalized Anxiety Disorder treatments. Nowadays, they are seldom used because they can have severe side effects. However, TCAs are typically used when SSRIs or SNRIs are ineffective. The most common example is Imipramine (Tofranil).

3. Anti-Anxiety Medications

Another treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorders is using anti-anxiety medications. There are two major types of such medications, i.e., Benzodiazepines and Buspirone.

Benzodiazepines are mostly used to provide immediate relief from the debilitating symptoms of a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Most of them are sedatives which act to eliminate the discomforts associated with these disorders. Examples include Clonazepam (Klonopin), Alprazolam (Xanax) and Diazepam (Valium).

Buspirone is a medication which reduces anxiety by making a person calm and relaxed. Unlike Benzodiazepines Buspirone does not provide immediate relief. Typically, it has to be administered for at least two weeks before the effects can be felt. Its advantage is that it is effective as a long-term treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

These are the medications commonly used as Generalized Anxiety Disorder treatments. They are usually prescribed depending on the severity of the condition. In most cases, the medications are administered in combination with non-medicinal interventions such as psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and lifestyle changes.

Using the natural method of Hemp Oil is also a great alternative with no major side effects.